Marlinspike Hall's Tales from the Crypt
by SkyDragon2996
Summary: A series of ghost stories that puts Tintin and company in delightfully terrifying situations. I decided to put this together just for Halloween. So, what will follow are a series of short stories that I've written to share with you all. Characters used belong to SAcommeSASSY, RenaissanceElf, herlizandos, luvadventure123, and myself. Hope you enjoy these!
1. The Reporter and the Exorcist

*Open to the MarlinSpike Hall library. Thunder is cracking outside as a storm is coming its way. Inside the estate's library, we see Nestor quietly reading a horror story by candlelight. He notices the audience*

Ah, good evening, children. What a surprise to see you at this time of night. *looks down at the book he is reading, and smiles.*

I see. You're interested in what I have to offer you. I've been doing some light reading tonight. Horror stories are always so intriguing to me. And I seem to think that you're also interested in the stories that I have been meaning to share with you all.

But first, a little warning for the faint of heart...

Some of the following stories that I am about to share with you may shock you. They may disturb you. You could say they may even...horrify you.

May I present to you...

Marlinspike Hall's Tales from the Crypt!

*Thunder rumbles outside, with lightning crackling in the distance and illuminating the library. Nestor sits back down on the armchair and picks up the book he was reading earlier.*

Let us begin with our first tale from Marlinspike Hall's crypts. *opens the book*

Now for a tale that will really send shivers down your spine. We open up here on Marlinspike Hall. It had started as any ordinary evening. The young reporter Tintin and the master of the house, Captain Haddock, invite the children, as well as their friends, over to a slumber party. However, a demonic possession overtakes the estate, which becomes a frightful adventure for the friends. But, to better tell this story, let me set the scene...

* * *

 **Story 1: The Reporter and the Exorcist**

It was a normal evening in the lovely estate of Marlinspike Hall. Tintin wanted to do something fun over the weekend, so he decided to plan a sleepover party. Though he was initially not used to staying up late at night, he still wanted to have a little fun. And he wanted to make sure that the Captain would agreed to keep his cool...at least for the little kids.

As the sun set into the horizon, Tintin anxiously paced back and forth. "When are they gonna come?" he asked Haddock. Captain Haddock, who was busy smoking a pipe in one hand and reading a book in the other, huffed and said, "Slow you motor, landlubber. It's not like they're sailing from the other end of the globe just to come." "I've never been to a sleepover before, so I'm curious to see what fun we'll have!" Tintin said. Snow bounced up and down excitedly, yapping like an excited puppy.

Soon, the doorbell rang. "It must be them!" Tintin said, eagerly racing to the door. As he left, the Captain shook his head, muttering, "My, what an excited lad, that boy."

...

Tintin opened the door. Linda and Veerasak were at the door with their daughters, who had their sleeping bags. "Are you sure we can trust you with our little girls while they're here?" Linda asked. "Sure, I can keep a close eye on them while they have fun," Tintin said, taking the little girls inside.

"Should we leave Ming Shen with you as well?" Veerasak asked as he handed the baby to Tintin. "I think you guys should hold on to him for tonight," Tintin said. "'Cause the last time you left the baby with me, the Captain was complaining about his crying." "Okay. Be safe," Linda said. Tintin blushed as he felt her soft lips touch his cheek as the couple went away.

"Captain!" Miwa and Meimei both shouted as they ran to hug the Captain. "Lassies!" Haddock exclaimed as he picked the girls up. "We miss you!" Meimei said. Soon, Nestor appeared before the three and asked, "Anything I can do for you, sir?" "Nestor, be a gentleman and fix these girls a treat, will you?" Haddock said. "Of course, sir," Nestor replied and turned to the girls. "Follow me, children." The girls giggled excitedly as they followed him into the kitchen.

The doorbell rang again. Tintin ran to answer it, and he blushed excitedly. Yan and Alex were at the doorstep, with their satchels in hand. "Hello, my little ginger boy!" Yan exclaimed, picking Tintin up and squeezing him tightly. "Hey, put him down. You'll crush his ribs," Alex said. Yan diligently obeyed and let Tintin down. "Good to see you too, Yan," Tintin said, barely breathing. "Where are those two little sweeties, Miwa and Meimei?" Yan asked. "In the kitchen," Tintin said. As Yan and Alex headed to the kitchen, Tintin called out, "And don't go raiding the ice box again, Alex!"

The bell rang again. Tintin opened to find Heather with little Bellino at the doorstep. "I am highly trusting you that Bellino is left unharmed, okay?" Heather asked sternly. "You've got nothing to worry about," Tintin said. "Snowy!" Bellino said as he ran to hug Snowy. After Heather left, Tintin told Bellino he could go get a treat in the kitchen.

The last people to arrive were Benton and his children. "Tintin!" Matthew and Heidi exclaimed as they hugged Tintin. "Hi!" Tintin said, hugging them both. "You guys want a snack? Nestor's cooking up a real treat in the kitchen! Go and look!" The kids then let go of Tintin and raced to the kitchen.

After the kids were in the kitchen eating, the talk soon turned to the friends. "So, my boy, tell me," Haddock said, "Why'd you host this sleepover in the first place?" "Are you afraid of the dark?" Alex said, giggling. "No, I am not!" Tintin said. "Really?" Benton asked. "It's not the dark that I'm worried about. It's what's IN THE DARK that I'm worried about," Tintin said. "What do you mean?" Haddock asked.

"Can you keep a secret?" Tintin asked. "Just say it," Alex said. "Okay, here goes," Tintin said. "It all started when I was very young. It happened during a sleepover at the orphanage some many years ago." He paused, swallowing hard. "One night, some boys dared me to play...'Creepy Lucy.' " " 'Creepy Lucy?' " Alex asked. "You mean that stupid baby game that's supposed to summon a scary demon?" "It is not a game!" Tintin exploded. "Gathering my courage, I stood in front of the mirror and chanted the words, 'Creepy Lucy, Creepy Lucy, Creepy Lucy.'" "And then what happened?" Haddock asked. "I ran out crying and screaming," Tintin mumbled.

"Wow. Incredibly lame," Alex said. "A big, tough reporter who's afraid of the dark." "Are you crazy?!" Tintin asked in outrage. "The woman nearly possessed me and ate up my soul!" "You still haven't let that go?" Benton asked. "No!" Tintin said. "And I suggest you guys don't mention a single word about this to the kids!" He sighed. "Speaking of which, I'm starving," Tintin said. "Let's go get something to eat before the sound of a whale's mating call escapes from my stomach."

...

After a deliciously prepared meal of soup and baked roast, it was finally time for the sleepover festivities to begin. To start, Tintin had whacked a pillow at Alex. "Oh, it is on, GINGER BOY!" Alex cried out. She then grabbed her pillow and began whacking Tintin. "Aah! Kids, avenge me!" Tintin cried, pretending to die. The kids saw this as a game and joined in the pillow fight. There was a mess of feathers everywhere in the foyer. Even Benton was certain that a couple angry birds were flying inside the house.

Next, Tintin decided to play a prank on the Captain. Gathering the children, he snuck into the Captain's room, where Haddock was napping. Miwa quietly put chocolate spread on the Captain's hand. Heidi blew on the Captain's face as he raised his hand to rub his face. Giggling quietly, Tintin threw the feathers on the Captain. It only took a minute for the Captain to realize what was on his face before he chased Tintin and the others out of his room.

Alex then got Tintin and the others to do an even more daring prank. Going outside, the gang raced down the streets to Interpol, where the Thompsons were working late. "Let's do this," Yan whispered. "Okay. Follow my lead!" Tintin said. Soon, they began throwing toilet paper all over the trees, bushes, and sidewalk. Yan threw eggs into trees and the pond...with a little help from Benton, who painted, in giant letters, "RASTAPOPOULOS WAS HERE" on the ground. "Ha! This is too much fun!" Benton said. With silent laughs, Tintin and the others appeared before the door. Tintin rang the bell and then, the gang took off in the night. Boy, would the Thompsons be in for a big surprise!

As the gang returned to the estate, Tintin told the kids all about their prank. Then, he decided to put the kids to bed early. As he made it to the main room, where the others were, he told them, "All right. The kids are asleep. You know what that means?" "Yes!" Yan exclaimed. "Tonight, we'll get to play the game of revelation or ambitious challenging!" Everyone was silent. "You mean truth or dare?" Alex asked. "EEEEE! Yes!" Yan said.

Soon, they gathered in a circle, with a lantern at the center. "Truth or dare?" Alex asked the Captain. "Dare, lassie," Haddock answered. "I dare you," Alex said, "to take off your sweater and hat!" "Ugh, I never get any overtime to do this," Haddock muttered as he did the dare.

"Truth or dare?" Benton asked Yan. "Truth," Yan said. "Okay," Benton said. "What type of brownies are your most favorite?" "Ben, that's a dumb question. You asking about brownies is already making me hungry," Tintin said, rubbing his stomach. "Okay. My favorite brownies are the kind with strawberries and nuts," Yan said, cuddling Snowy.

Now it was Tintin's turn to pick. "Truth or dare?" Alex asked. "Dare," Tintin said. "Okay, I got a fun one," Alex muttered evilly. "I dare you...to go to the bedroom...and play Creepy Lucy." Tintin was dumbfounded. "WHAT?!" Tintin asked in outrage. "Oh no. You're not making me go in there and play that game!" "It'll prove to you that Creepy Lucy is all just a myth! It's all in your head!" Alex exploded. But the Captain was lucky enough to shush them, since the kids were asleep.

...

Soon, the friends began to push Tintin all the way to the upstairs bathroom. "Please please please, don't make me go in there!" Tintin pleaded. "You picked the dare, you have to go with it," Benton reminded him. Haddock then thrust Tintin into his bedroom. "Are you seriously making me do this?!" Tintin cried out. "This is for your own good," Haddock said. Then, he shut the door.

"Okay, okay, you can do this," Tintin mumbled. Grabbing a candlestick, he faced the mirror. Swallowing hard, he told himself, "Here it goes." He shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth. "Creepy Lucy, Creepy Lucy, Creepy Lucy!" he said hurriedly. Then, he peeped at the mirror. "Huh. Nothing happened," Tintin said. "I guess Alex..." Suddenly...

CRASH!

"Aaugh!" Tintin screamed aloud. He was sent hurling toward the door and crashing into his friends. "What did I tell you?!" he asked them. Suddenly, the friends saw a deadly apparition before them. It was the ghostly image of a girl, probably Tintin's age, huffing and panting angrily. "She's so...creepy!" Benton whispered in fear. "Ugh, her raggedy clothes!" Haddock exclaimed. The girl looked at her dress and sighed. "But I just bought these," Lucy said sadly.

"Her ratty, unkempt hair!" Alex said in disgust. "I can't even look at it!" "I really didn't have time to wash it this morning," Lucy said, fingering her hair. "That's why there are bugs crawling around it." "And that wrinkly face!" Yan said, covering her eyes. "This is just how I look," Lucy replied. She slowly turned away. "You're right. I should probably take better care of myself."

As she started to drift away, the friends watched in confusion. Suddenly, Lucy turned around...and morphed into a hideously frightening demon! "RIGHT AFTER I CONSUME ALL YOUR MORTAL SOULS!" she exploded. As she inspected them to find her victim, she paused. "STARTING WITH YOU!" she shouted, pointing...at Tintin! "Me?!" Tintin asked.

But before he could say anything else, Lucy darted right into Tintin's mouth! His body began to glow with green light. By now, Tintin was writhing and moaning as he struggled to wrestle the spirit out of him It took the Captain's bedroom. "What's happening?!" Yan asked in fear. "Lucy's taking control of Tintin's body!" Alex shrieked. As Tintin was pinned down to the bed, Lucy was completely gaining control of Tintin's body.

Soon, Tintin opened his eyes, which glowed a bright yellow. His pupils glowed a deep red. With Lucy's voice, he said, "Excellent! Now that I have a body, I can finally seek my revenge and consume every mortal soul in this miserable city for all eternity!" He then uttered a high-pitched, maniacal laugh.

...

Outside the bedroom, the friends were already panicking. "What'll we do?" Yan asked. "I don't want Tintin to eat my soul!" "There has to be a way to undo the curse!" Alex said. "Benton! How do we get the demon out of Tintin?" "Wow, that sure is a nice way to say, 'Hey Tintin, I'm sorry I forced you into playing that dumb Creepy Lucy game just so you could forget all about your childhood trauma!'" Benton exploded. Of course, it was clearly Alex's idea to force Tintin into it. Feeling calm, he added, "I've seen people do this before, so we'll need a mirror. We just have to distract Lucy long enough while we hold up the mirror. And we have to chant the reverse incantation." "I think there was one in my room," Haddock said. "But Tintin's in that place!" Alex said. "And with that ghost girl inside of him, there's no chance of making it out alive. "Then I'll go there myself!" Benton said. "Be careful!"

As Benton peeped in the room, he found the spirit forcibly slamming Tintin against the pillows as she gained control of his body. "Shh," Benton told Snowy as they crawled across the floor to grab the mirror. After getting his hands on the mirror, Benton tried to crawl his way out the door. But Snowy was in front of him, and his tail was tickling Benton's nose! "Achoo!" Benton sneezed.

Hearing the noise, Tintin sat rigid in his bed. Benton stood, frozen in his place. Using Lucy's powers, Tintin levitated the bedspread as it twisted into a snakelike form. He then sent it forward to entangle Benton. Luckily, Benton was able to dodge it.

"Hello, good sir," Tintin said, through Lucy's voice. "Going somewhere?" Benton kept his mouth shut. Tintin took that as an insult. Suddenly, with extraordinary flexibility, Tintin reached out and grabbed Benton by his shirt collar! Pulling Benton up to his now pale, blotchy face, Tintin whispered, "Do you want to be my friend? There's no need to run away." Benton gulped. "I...I was just leaving," he whimpered. "No need to worry," Tintin whispered, his breath coming out like fog. "We can be best friends...forever and ever and ever and ever and ever." As he let go of Benton, Tintin uttered an evil cackle...and his head began to rotate creepily! Benton almost had the urge to vomit. "If you don't want to be my friend," Tintin said, suddenly rising from the bed, "THEN I'LL EAT YOUR SOUL AND MAKE YOU MY ETERNAL PLAYMATE FOR ALL ETERNITY!" Benton screamed as Tintin's face morphed into a hideously grotesque monster and ran out the room.

...

"AAAAAAAHHHHH! MOMMY!" Benton was shrieking as he raced down the hall and met with the others. "What happened?" Alex asked. "Did you get the mirror?" Yan asked. "Yea, but there's no way we're gonna get that demon out of Tintin!" Benton said. "Then what are we gonna do?!" Haddock asked in outrage.

"I think I know a solution," a voice said. The friends turned and saw Nestor standing by the walls. "Nestor? How long have you been standing there?" Benton asked. "Long enough to hear that the master's comrade has been under the influence of a spiritual disturbance," Nestor replied. "And I know the only cure to this problem." "What is it?" Alex asked. "One of us has to perform an exorcism," Nestor said grimly. "What's an exorcism?" Yan asked.

A little while later, in the estate library, Benton pulled out a book entitled, "The Encyclopedia of Supernatural Disturbances in the Spiritual World." After reading, Benton found the steps to exorcism. "It says here," he said, "that to perform an exorcism, participant must wear loose-fitting robe, hold book, and chant, 'The power of faith compels you.' Do this while dangling an amulet over possessed victim." But will all this help Tintin?" "There's only one way to find out," Alex said.

Moments later, the friends had emerged from the library, wearing their blankets over their pajamas as togas. They went upstairs to the bedroom, where they saw pale green light from under. "I sure hope this works," Benton said. "I don't want to see my little brother like this."

...

As they stepped inside, they were shocked to find thin layers of ice covering the walls and ceiling. They found Tintin outstretched across the bed, breathing so deeply that the cold air turned it into fog. "Uhh...hello," Haddock said calmly. Tintin sat upright, rigid in his seat. "Back so soon?" Tintin said maniacally. "I was wondering when you'd return." "We're here to help you," Yan said. "Thank you," Tintin said, "but I crave sustenance. Would you be a dear and find me a suitable meal?" "Ew, no way," Yan said. Tintin frowned. "Then you'd better leave. Or else your souls...ARE GOING IN MY MOUTH!" His face morphed into a lizard's face as it hissed. "What have you done with Tintin?!" Alex exploded. "Don't worry. He's safe here, with me," Tintin said in Lucy's voice.

Suddenly, his face began distorting and mutating into Tintin's normal, human face. "Guys! Help me!" he shouted. After a short second, he mutated back into Lucy's spirit. "Excuse me," Tintin said. "That one just slipped out." "Arg, you won't get away with this!" Alex growled. "Oh yeah?" Tintin asked. "Captain! Do the chant!" Yan exclaimed. "All right, no demon's going to devour the soul of my best friend!" Haddock said. Pointing his amulet at Tintin, he shouted, "Demon! Be gone!" Tintin then fell back on the bed, frozen in place. The amulet glowing, Tintin began to rise slowly from the bed. "The power of faith compels you!" Haddock kept chanting. That seemed to work...for only six seconds.

"Oh does it?" Tintin asked, lifting his head. "Does it compel me?" "The power of faith compels you!" Haddock shouted once again. "Sure it does. It's funny how dumb you are," Tintin sneered. "But your power does not compel me or anyone else!" Tintin then plopped back on the bed. "Aw, come on! I spent half the night practicing that!" Haddock said. "Want a tip?" Tintin asked. As the Captain leaned closer, Tintin opened his mouth...and large globs of slimy blue liquid began shooting out of his mouth! The Captain was drenched from head to toe. "Well, this stinks," Haddock said, sniffing a little.

...

Benton and Alex raced out the room, leaving Yan and the Captain with the demon-ridden Tintin. "Okay okay, Benton! I admit it!" Alex said, bursting into tears. "This was all my fault! I should've never let Tintin play that game! Now we can't figure out how to turn him back to normal!" She buried her face in her arms, crying.

"Calm down!" Benton said. "We caused this mess, now we're gonna clean it right up!" "But how?" Alex asked. "We'll lose Tintin forever! It'll be like night without day, sunflowers without sun, and Tintin without those addicting brownies...!"

"Wait a minute, say that again!" Benton said. "Tintin without addicting brownies?" Alex asked. Benton's eyebrows furrowed, which meant that he had an idea. "That's it!" he exclaimed. "Brownies! Those were what always used to snap Tintin out of something! And if he got demon, we'll need to add the secret ingredient!" The two huddled together and began the plan.

...

A few hours later, the two friends returned upstairs to the bedroom, where they found Yan and the Captain being forced into torture by Lucy. "Hahaha! This was worth three hundred years of torture back in the orphanage!" Tintin laughed as he forced Haddock to dance a sailor jig...for thirty-six minutes straight. "Thunderin' typhoons, I'll never escape this!" Haddock said, his legs growing sore.

"Captain, we have the cure!" Benton said. "What is it, my friend?" Haddock said, stopping his dancing and staggering a little. "Here's the cure to Tintin's possession!" Alex exclaimed. Haddock's joy fell into outrage when he saw the brownies before him. "Brownies?!" Haddock asked, outraged. "This is a life or death situation, and you brought brownies?! How are those going to save Tintin's life?" "If it's enough to snap Tintin, it should work!" Yan said.

"Ugh, now what sort of garbage have you brought this time?" Tintin groanedas Alexa approached him bravely. "Look Tintin! I brought brownies!" Alex said waving the plate before him. Tintin's face began distorting between his and Lucy's face. "Augh! Can't...help it! The brownies!" Tintin said. Lucy fought back, saying, "Silence! I'm in control! I will not settle for trash like this!" "You're missing out, Tintin!" Alex said. "And it's your favorite: double chocolate with nuts!" "I can't...!" Tintin said. "Don't fall for this temptation! I will destroy you if you do!" Lucy cried. Tintin fought with all his might to wrestle with Lucy. "You can do it, bud!" Alex exclaimed. "The power of brownies compels you! The power of brownies compels you!"

"Arg, I can't take it anymore!" Tintin exclaimed. Alex gave him the plate, and Tintin began scarfing down as many brownies as he could. After he finished, his face turned back to Lucy. "Now then! Where were we?" Lucy said. Her tongue suddenly tasted something odd. "Hmm, that's a peculiar flavor," Lucy said. "What is th...?" Suddenly, she began to writhe around in Tintin's body, choking and gagging. "Oh, what were the ingredients you ask?" Alex asked. "I just added the usual. You know, flour, eggs, sugar, water, milk, chocolate, chopped walnuts, and..." She saw Lucy suddenly choking even more and gasping for breath. "Oh yeah, I must have forgotten the secret ingredient!" Alex revealed. "One hundred pounds of raw, minced, cloves of garlic!"

Suddenly, Lucy's spirit floated out of Tintin's mouth, screaming and writhing in pain as she was trying to scrape the taste of garlic off her tongue. Holding up a mirror, Alex began to shout, "Creepy Lucy isn't creepy! Creepy Lucy isn't creepy! Creepy Lucy isn't creepy!" Soon, Lucy's ghost was instantly suckered into the mirror. The spirit was gone.

"Yea! I finally got you, you nasty little witch!" Alex shouted at the mirror. "Woo hoo!" The friends cheered loudly. They paused, noticing that Tintin was still asleep. Quietly, Haddock draped a blanket over Tintin, whispering, "Good night, lad." Then, everyone tiptoed out the door.

...

"Achoo! Achoo!"

On the next morning, Tintin woke up, feeling sick with a cold. Apparently, getting a demon cleansed from your body was enough to take you out. "Morning, Tintin!" Miwa and Meimei both shouted. Tintin didn't hear them and simply grabbed a cup of hot coffee from Nestor. "Morning, Uncle Tintin!" Bellino said. But Tintin kept on walking to the foyer. "Tintin? Are you okay?" Heidi asked. Matthew just looked on.

"How's my adorable reporter today?" Yan said, arriving with a bowl of soup. Tintin could only moan. "What happened?" Tintin asked. "Well, brother. It's a long story," Benton said. "Oh-h," Tintin groaned. "I just had the weirdest dream ever. And you were all in it." "Haha! At least our secret's safe in the mirror!" Alex said. She turned to the Captain. "And by the way, Captain," Alex asked, "what did you do with that mirror anyway?" "Threw it out in the well," Haddock replied. "Good to see my little brother back to his normal, human self again!" Benton ssid, embracing Tintin. And there was only one thing Tintin could say right now.

"Achoo!"

Le fin!


	2. Night of the Dancing Skeletons

*Back to the Marlinspike Hall Library*

Nestor: Terrified, aren't we? I can see that first story has certainly given you...goosebumps.

Trust me, I'm shaking in my own coat. But I can see that we have all survived the first story in one sitting. But I believe there is a lesson to be learned in this story.

That lesson is: If you can't handle playing a scary game, chances are it could...possess you.

*thunder and lightning crash in the sky, illuminating the entire library*

I guess you could say that slumber party was a night to remember, unless you come into the crosshairs of Creepy Lucy. Truth be told; never play summoner to a ghost.

*opens up his book to another page*

Now, let us prepare for another chilling story that is...chilling to the bone. *chuckles*

We open our story on the quaint little village of San Theodoros, on the Day of the Dead. Tonight was especially festive, as the townsfolk have painted their faces into skulls. It's that one night of the year, where the people's ancestors come to life for a night of partying and festivities. But for the young master Tintin, this lavish fantasy would soon become terrifying...

* * *

 **Story 2: Night of the Dancing Skeletons**

"Aw, come on, Azucena! Just one taste!"

"Tintin, calm yourself. You'll get to eat after the celebration."

"But that food looks so good!"

"Aw pipe down, you landlubber! We'll eat after the 'special celebration' is over!"

"Sometimes, I can't help but think I'm the only normal one here."

" _Dios mío,_ Tintin's on edge today. But I'm sure that my _palomita_ is able to keep Tintin's antics under control."

...

Azucena was as busy as ever in her house. All morning and all day, she was busy preparing and decorating her house. Everywhere people looked, there would be intricately painted skulls in every corner. And during the afternoon, she spent all that time helping her brother Rodrigo cook, since there will be a lavish celebration going on in San Theodoros.

It was finally Day of the Dead in San Theodoros. It was that one day in which people came from all around to pay respect to their ancestors. They brought offerings to the funerals, like sugar skulls, flowers, candles, bread, and specially prepared food so the spirits of the ancestors could reach right out and enjoy them. Lavishly wild parties were even held soon after.

Azucena was eager to celebrate, because Rodrigo allowed her to invite Tintin and his friends over to celebrate. But, there was only one thing that shocked Azucena: Tintin had NEVER heard of Day of the Dead! But she was also happy, because it gave her the opportunity to teach him how the celebration goes. And so, it was not long before Tintin, along with Captain Haddock and Alex, finally made the journey to San Theodoros. But it would not be long before Tintin would get a one-on-one lesson in South American fall traditions.

Tintin peered over Azucena's shoulder, licking his lips hungrily as he watched her stir the _posole_ around and around the pot. "That looks really good," he said. Azucena chuckled. "I see that you're still worrying about your stomach," Azucena laughed. "Haven't you eaten yet?" "I did," Tintin said. "It was just a sandwich. I don't know why I'm still hungry."

"Gosh, for a reporter your age, you're a real hungry lad yourself," Haddock said. "So what?" Tintin asked. "I'm a growing boy!" "Says the guy who once ate a whole plate of brownies and ended up with a stomachache after five minutes," Alex said. "Tintin, my boy! You are a real crack up!" General Alcazar laughed, slapping Tintin on the back. "And that must have been a brave challenge for you!"

"Sometimes, I can't help but feel that I still retain my own weight, even after I eat a fairly large amount of food on a daily basis," Tintin said. "Even after I eat, I still end up very, very hungry." "Yea, and be sure your stomach stays quiet for the funeral procession, because people would be surprised to hear your stomach mimic the mating call of a blue whale," Alex teased. Tintin just turned away from Alex, blushing red all over. Why did she say that?!

"Food's done!" Azucena exclaimed. "We should get dressed now!" "But you didn't tell us to bring any costumes," Tintin said. "That's the idea," Rodrigo told him. "My sister had the opportunity to procure enough costumes for all of you." "Okay, let's do it!" Alex cheered.

Minutes later, after arranging hair and makeup, Tintin and his friends were now all decked out in brightly colored clothes full of purples, reds, greens, golds, and pinks all over. Even their faces were painted to look like skulls decorated with flowering or spiky designs. They almost looked just like the sugar skulls in the foyer.

"I do have some concerns," Tintin said. "What if people run away from me? I might frighten them with my skull-painted face." "Oh Tintin. Here in San Theodoros, we laugh at the face of the dead for this occasion. We look at it as a spiritual kind of thing," Azucena said. Rodrigo went to grab the pot and plates. "Captain, will you help me will all this stuff?" he asked. "Absolutely," Haddock replied, carrying the utensils. Alex helped in taking the flowers, while General Alcazar handled the candles. Only Tintin was left taking the sugar skulls with Azucena, who held the platter of candy-coated bread.

...

Out on the streets of San Theodoros, Tintin stared in awe at the long line of people who were anxiously waiting in front of the entrance to the cemetery. Some held candles, while others carried plates of food. The steam that escaped from the cooked foods lifted into the skies, almost making the night sky dark and humid.

Tintin's gaze then shifted toward the edge of town, where could make out the faint silhouette of a dark, murky lake surrounding an old pier. Rodrigo then leaned over to Tintin. "On nights like this, it is often common for people to believe in _La Llorona,_ " Rodrigo whispered to Tintin.

" _La Llorona_?" Tintin whispered back. "Who is that?" "She's the ancient demon who used to be a beautiful woman with a loving family, until she lost them in a fire," Rodrigo whispered. "Now, legend says that she haunts dark lakes, hunting for mortal souls to satisfy her eternal hunger." "Brother!" Azucena scolded silently. "Don't be scaring Tintin with those outlandish stories! Besides, we shouldn't talk about that tonight." "Quiet! The ceremony's starting!" Alex exclaimed.

Tintin craned his neck and found the crowd parting to let a local priest enter. A little altar boy held the train of the priest's robe, while a ten-year-old girl held a staff crowned with a crucifix. Behind them were two older boys. One held a Holy Bible, and the other was holding a golden incense burner. Three older girls were at the end, each holding a holy candle.

Tintin watched in anticipation as the priest took out a silver key from a pocket in his robe. He inserted the key into the lock and had two of the older boys open the gates. After reciting a short prayer, the priest allowed the people to step inside.

...

Soon, the line of people then dissolved into a large sea of faces as they began to search for the graves of their deceased relatives. Little kids were allowed to put the flowers on the tombstones as the adults began laying the food on tables. "Follow me, please," Azucena told her friends. They followed her to the near end of the cemetery, which lead to an open gateway leading to the dark lake. "So, who are we paying respect to here?" Tintin asked. Azucena smiled.

"Here she is," Azucena said, pointing to a crucifix-shaped tombstone with the inscription reading, " _En memoria de Ma. Elena Santo Domingo de la Cruz, 1896-1925_." "Elena?" Alex asked. "Who was she?" "She was my grandmother," Azucena said. "She was my mother's mother. We're paying respect to her." Soon, the friends got to work. Alex and General Alcazar put in clean water for the vases, and they crowned them with flowers. Haddock dusted dirt off of the tomb and placed the sugar skulls in front of it. As Azucena and Rodrigo prepared the dishes to place in front of the tomb, Tintin held his breath, trying to avoid smelling the food. But it was just too irresistible. After everyone finished their jobs, Tintin was left alone to light a tall candle with a painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe and place it in front of the tomb.

Later on, the priest who had opened the gates earlier arrived at the grave where Azucena and her friends were at. "Hello Azucena," he told her. "Father Ronaldo!" Azucena said. "You're here!" Father Ronaldo inspected the tomb for a while. Smiling, he said, "Azucena, you have done yet another excellent job again. I am sure the light of the Lord will safely guide your grandmother to His Majesty's kingdom of Heaven," he said. Then, his gaze fell over to Tintin. "And what might your name be?" he asked. "Oh! Father Ronaldo, this is my friend Tintin," Azucena told him. "He is from Europe." "Hello," Tintin said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Tintin," Father Ronaldo told him, shaking his hand. "I trust that you'll be a formidable comrade to His Majesty, will you?" "Uh...sure?" Tintin said.

"Now, let's get started, shall we?" Father Ronaldo rubbed his hands together as the ten-year-old girl fetched a Bible for him. The girl stood by as Father Ronaldo opened the Bible. He began to recite a text from the book as the friends stood by, listening intently. Tintin stood firmly by Azucena and Alex as the priest spoke calmly. As the priest was reciting the texts in Spanish, Tintin suddenly felt his stomach rumble loudly. Alex gave Tintin a mean look. "Are you okay, Tintin?" Azucena asked. "Sorry. I'm just really hungry!" Tintin whispered. "Don't worry, he's almost done," Azucena said.

"...and it is with great pride that we bless this tomb as a symbol of faith and hope for the afterlife," Father Ronaldo concluded. "In His name, amen." "Amen," the other friends said all together. The priest left them to converse among each other. "That was beautiful," Tintin said. "That's right," Rodrigo said. "The father is always full of great tips and advice to give to others. _Posole,_ Tintin?" Tintin saw what he meant when Rodrigo handed him the food. Taking the bowl, Tintin began to eat it hurriedly. He saw many people dancing around the tall poles, twirling sparklers around and banging drums.

"Tintin, want to come to the town square for the party with us?" Alex asked as she and the others prepared to leave. "No, I think I'm okay here. I still have a lot to learn about this holiday still," Tintin said. "I just want a minute's worth of peace." "Suit yourself," General Alcazar said as he led Azucena and the others out of the cemetery. Tintin was left at the cemetery, all alone. Snowy circled around Tintin's legs, whimpering.

After his friends all left for the party, Tintin turned his attention to the tombstone. "Um...hello, Mrs. Domingo de la Cruz," he said. "My name is Tintin." He found it rather awkward that he was actually talking to a tombstone, especially at night. Nibbling on a piece of bread that was from a plate of other goodies that Rodrigo had left for him in case he got hungry again, Tintin sighed heavily. "I may not be the best good-looking guy on the planet," Tintin said again, "but Azucena never denied that." He continued to look directly toward the dark lake, and for a minute, he thought he saw a very strange figure standing at the lake. But he ignored it, all the same.

"All I want to say is," Tintin kept speaking to the tombstone, "I'm glad Azucena paid her respect to you. You must have been a strikingly beautiful woman back in your day. I never imagined that someone like you could inspire such a smart young lady like your granddaughter. And Azucena is pretty lucky to have a friend like me. Because if it weren't for me, she would've never met anyone else other than me. But all I'm saying is...I'll try my best." Tintin then picked up the plate of food and began to eat his fill of the whole plate.

...

As the night wore on, it seemed as if the loud and lively music began to fade from Tintin's memory. It probably seemed as if Tintin had perhaps eaten too much, because he started to get a strange feeling. Tintin yawned and muttered, "I should probably get out of here before my friends start sending out search parties for me." Getting up, he walked toward the cemetery gates. He reached out to push open the gates. But, to his surprise, the gates were locked! "Huh?" he asked. "Why are the gates locked?" He suddenly felt a swish of cold air hurl at him. "What the...What's going on?" he asked himself.

Suddenly, he saw the buildings and streets of San Theodoros transforming into an older, more colonial version of the city. The street lights turned into candle-lit lanterns that hung over buildings. The overhanging metal signs were now replaced with old wooden, cracked signs suspended by small chains. A shadow swooped over Tintin. "What was that?" he asked again. "What's going on? What's happening here?"

He suddenly heard laughter. Snowy barked. Tintin turned around and saw...walking skeletons?! "Oh no no no...th-this can't be happening!" Tintin exclaimed. He tried to run through the maze of tombstones. Everywhere he looked, there were living skeletons everywhere! Some were dressed in colonial attire, while others wore more modern costumes. He paused to see someone wearing a wide-brimmed hat. "Oh! There's someone alive!" Tintin said as he ran up to the gentleman. "Excuse me...sir?" Tintin said, tapping on the man's shoulder. The man turned around, revealing his skeleton face! "Can I help you, sir?" he asked Tintin cheerfully. "Aah!" Tintin said, running away. He then ran until he bumped into a skeleton wearing a coat dress, a large blue hat, and a green dress. "Oh! Oh my goodness!" Tintin said, brushing the dirt off her coat. "Well, I never!" The skeleton scolded, slapping Tintin's hand.

Tintin continued running until he bumped into the skeleton of a woman wearing a fringed cocktail dress, a red scarf, and a yellow flower on her black hair. "Wanna dance, pretty boy?" she asked, fluffing her scarf around Tintin. Tintin screamed and ran until he encountered the skeletons of two children in colonial dress, a boy and a girl. "Ooh, look at the big man!" the boy said. "But he can't be dead!" a girl said, poking at Tintin's butt. "He's too soft!" "Nyahh!" Tintin said, cringing and grabbing his behind. Running backwards, Tintin suddenly ran into someone. He then saw a skull plop on his hands. "Hey, do you mind?" The skeleton, who had a mustache, asked angrily. "Aaaaah!" Tintin screamed. "Aaaaah!" The skull screamed as Tintin threw it.

Tintin ran and ran until he came to the spot of Azucena's grandmother's grave. "No no no no...Wake up, Tintin! Wake up" he told himself. He began slapping his face. "This is all just a dream!" Tintin cried out, splashing his face with a cup of water. "All just a dream! All just a dream! All just a..."

...

"Young man, what troubles you?" a voice said. Tintin turned and screamed. But his cry was short, when he saw the skeleton of Azucena's grandmother, who wore a 19th-century nursing dress. "M-Miss Elena?" Tintin asked. " _Santo mío_ , you must be that fellow Tintin," Elena said. "H-How do you know my name?" Tintin asked. "I heard your voice when you spoke to my grave," Elena said as she helped a now trembling Tintin to his feet. "You're a pretty jumpy one, if I say so myself." "But how...how is this all possible?" Tintin asked. "You're a skeleton, and walking! That's just impossi—"

"Nothing is impossible when you live among the tombs of the remembered," a female voice said. "Who said that?" Tintin asked. Tintin turned to see the skeleton of another woman. But her skeletal figure had a more human, womanlike appearance. She wore a long, flowing red and gold dress. She had long black hair in a braid, and she wore a large-brimmed hat adorned with candles and flowers. "Who are you?" Tintin asked in awe.

"I am La Muerte," she said. "I am the guardian of the Land of the Remembered. Welcome to the Land of the Dead." "The Land of the Dead...I-It's real," Tintin said softly. "How...How did you do all this?" "I take care of the people who chose to take this path toward the afterlife." "All these people live under her care and command," Elena told Tintin.

Tintin walked all round, and was in awe at what he was seeing. He could see glowing apparitions of the humans that visited the graves. One skeleton had taken a piece of bread and a bottle from a basket in a grave where a man and his son knelt by. He then found a skeleton couple, an elderly man and woman, smiling as they watched the silhouettes of a family and their baby girl. "Oh, look at our _pequeña palomita,_ " the woman said. "She's becoming a big girl now!"

"This is so beautiful," Tintin whispered. "It is, isn't it?" La Muerte told Tintin. Soon, a group of skeleton children all began to run past Tintin, laughing and giggling. "All but the children, however," La Muerte said, laughing, "listen to no one." She laughed as she watched the children pluck off the skull of an old man and kicked it around like a ball. They ran off laughing as the old man skeleton began to chase them down, yelling, "Give my head back here, you hooligans!" Tintin giggled after seeing that.

...

"Wow, I had Day of the Dead all figured out wrong," Tintin said, watching the skeleton people talk and laugh and enjoy themselves. "I never knew death could be so...beautiful." "Yes, all of this is very beautiful," La Muerte said as she stooped down to pet the skeleton of a cat. "Sometimes, this beauty does not always last long." "Why?" Tintin asked. "Why doesn't this beauty always last? It's the Day of the Dead! You guys should be happy!"

"Yes, but there are times when _La Llorona_ often invades these ceremonial tombs to feed off of mortal souls," Elena said. "Starting with you." "Me?" Tintin asked. "Why me?" "You are the only human among the living dead. You'll be her first victim if she catches you," La Muerte told him. "You have to hide, because she can smell a human soul from afar." Suddenly, dark clouds began to blow into the cemetery. Some of the skeletons began to shrink back in fear. "What's happening?" Tintin asked. "She is here," Elena said grimly.

Suddnly, the gates of the back end swung open. The living skeletons all shrank back in fear as they hid behind their tombs. There, pacing the grounds in a swirl of black smoke, came the spirit _La Llorona._ She wore a long, ragged white dress, and her hair was ratty and unkempt. "It's her," Elena whispered. "You need to hide," La Muerte told Tintin. "Run, Tintin! Hide and don't let her see you!" Tintin diligently obeyed and ran to hide behind a tombstone.

By then, _La Llorona_ had approached La Muerte. " _La Llorona_ ," La Muerte said sternly. "How dare you return to this cemetery. "But I am your confidante," _La Llorona_ said. "And what manner of business might you be here for now?" La Muerte said grimly as the dark spirit came to her. "Business?" _La Llorona_ asked quite sarcastically. "Why, I just came up from my watery grave to see my old friend." She reached out for an embrace, but La Muerte pushed her back. "I am sorry," she said, "but how can I allow myself to be friends with a psychopathic freak who will do nothing but feed on the natural fear and souls of mortals?"

"Freak?" _La Llorona_ asked. "Me, a freak? But how is that even possible, since you reign over the land of the remembered?" "I brought peace into this place," La Muerte had said. "And you chose to walk the path to the land of the forgotten when you left your own family to die in your wasteland..."

"I smell a human," _La Llorona_ said, sniffing the air. "It is a human! A young man, so to say. He has exotic hair. Ginger, like the sunset. And a face painted to look like you useless corpses! An exotic soul, yes. That'll be enough to satisfy my eternal hunger!" La Muerte gasped. _La Llorona_ had already sniffed out Tintin! She began to stalk the graves, looking for the helpless soul. "You will not do any hunting for souls here!" La Muerte demanded.

...

Tintin felt the dark clouds closing on him as he hid behind the tombstone. He was careful to to give himself away, or else he'd end up a meal for the demonic lady. All seemed eerily calm, and quite still. "Achoo!" Tintin held his hands up to his nose and sneezed. That was a dumb move.

Tintin suddenly felt a cold hand rest on his shoulder.

"Hello, boy."

Tintin turned and screamed as _La Llorona_ found him, her gaze cold, steely, and hungry for attention. "My, what a truly exotic soul we have here! Oh, he's sure to make a fine meal," she said. "Young, but a grand meal he'd make!" Snowy growled at her, then lunged forward to bite her leg. "Get off me, you stupid mutt!" _La Llorona_ said, forcefully shaking Snowy off. "Stop!" La Muerte demanded. "Do not lay another hand on that boy!" "Fine," _La Llorona_ said, grasping Tintin's wrist. "If you don't kill me, I will set the boy free. If you do, then he will, too." "Give me the boy first," La Muerte ordered.

"Okay," _La Llorona_ said, and thrust Tintin forward. "Now, leave this place at once, and never come back. "Fine," _La Llorona_ said. Suddenly, her eyes glowed a deep red, almost mahogany. "Right after I finish you first."

 _La Llorona_ suddenly turned into a hideously terrifying monster that lunged forward toward La Muerte! Suddenly, as if by magic, La Muerte reached above her hat and pulled out a large sword! The two spirits began to battle each other as skeletons everywhere began running in panic.

Summoning the winged demons of the forgotten, _La Llorona_ sent them to capture Tintin. Tintin braced for impact, but was lucky enough to find that La Muerte had protected him with a shield decorated with a colorful sugar skull. The winged demons all dissolved into black dust. "Your soul belongs to me!" _La Llorona_ shouted as she continued to fight La Muerte. "Tintin," La Muerte told Tintin, "I do not think this place is safe for you any longer. You must return to your realm." La Muerte then took her sword and began slashing the demons until they turned into black plumes of smoke.

La Muerte then threw Tintin forward so that he met up with Elena. "Take the boy, Elena," she ordered, "and run away! Go!" Elena then grabbed Tintin's hand and together they ran to the far ends of the graveyard. "Come this way, _mijo_ ," Elena told Tintin as she took him back to her gravestone. They maneuvered their way through the maze of tombstones and avoiding near collisions. Everywhere, winged bats began to terrorize the skeleton people. They were running about in a panicked flock, while others summoned forth their guardian spirit animals to attack the demons.

...

After reaching her gravestone, Elena faced Tintin. "Tintin, there's no other choice," Elena said. "You're not safe here. You have to return to the Land of the Living. To your people." "But what about you?" Tintin said, his eyes filling with tears. "I can't just leave you here! They'll kill you!" He suddenly broke down, crying. "I-I should've never stayed in the cemetery by myself!" Tintin cried, the makeup running from his face. "I should've known this would happen!" "It's okay, _chiquito_ ," Elena said, embracing him tightly. "I'll be okay. Don't worry. But you still have to return to your people."

"Okay," Tintin said, wiping his eyes. "What do I need to do?" "Wake up," Elena said. Tintin suddenly felt her voice fading. "What?" Tintin said, blinking.

"Wake up..." Tintin blinked again. The voice was now echoing. "What is it?" Tintin asked.

"Wake up...wake up..."

"What?" Tintin asked, blinking again.

"Wake up..."

...

"TINTIN! WAKE UP ALREADY!"

"Aah! Psychopathic freak thing!" Tintin shouted suddenly. He woke with a start, accidentally throwing his fist at the Captain's leg. Howling in pain, Captain Haddock growled, "Arg, you landlubber! Don't you know all my body parts are very sensitive?"

"Huh?" Tintin said, finally opening his eyes. He was back at the cemetery! And Tintin could still hear live music from afar. The party was still going on. "What...happened?" Tintin said, rubbing his groggy head. "You fell asleep here in the cemetery?" General Alcazar asked. "Now why would you go off doing something crazy like that?" Alex demanded. Tintin was now a babbling mess. "B-But the...the skeletons...They were alive! And walking!" Tintin stuttered. "And they could talk! And even the children, they're all living skeletons!"

Haddock shook his head. "Boy, what are ya goin' on about now?" He asked. "Tintin, are you seriously on some kind of new medication?" Alex asked.

"I...I just had the strangest dream ever," Tintin said. "I saw dancing skeletons, and winged demons, and bats! They were everywhere! Those bats, they were attacking the skeletons, but La Muerte splayed them all with her mighty sword, and...and..."

Tintin shivered and swallowed as he felt Azucena's soft hands clasp his shoulder.

"Tintin, I think you've probably had a little too much to eat, okay?" Azucena said. Tintin almost flinched when he felt Azucena's hands patting his stomach. "Maybe that's why you had those crazy dreams. You ate too much, and it caused you to fall asleep."

"Maybe you're right," Tintin said, rubbing his head. "I think my stomach hurts now from that wild thrashing."You know, it seems a little strange to be sleeping out here on a full tummy," Rodrigo said. "Why don't we go enjoy the rest of the night?" Tintin got up and went to walk with the others as they left the cemetery.

Before he walked out of the gates, he happened to see Azucena's grandmother's spirit ascending from her tomb, along with La Muerte. They both looked at Tintin and waved goodbye to him, smiling lovingly. Tintin smiled and waved goodbye as he left to enjoy the rest of the night with his friends.

Le Fin!


	3. The Turnip Head Walks at Night

*Nestor closes the book after the second story*

It seems as if that second story had given you lots of shivers up your spine. One wonders if the thought of walking amongst living skeletons is either a mesmerizing dream...or a horrific nightmare.

Why, if you were to step in the shoes of the young master Tintin, it quickly changes from an exhilarating wonder to a...living nightmare.

*thunder rumbles in the distance*

*Nestor then opens the book to another story*

Now let's sit ourselves for another story that is truly terrifying, one that will really send goosebumps crawling in your skin. *opens to a page, and begins to introduce the scene*

This next story, we shall now be transported to the Land of the Rising Sun. Here, Captain Haddock and the young master Tintin help the Mikurajima family gather the crops for the autumn harvest. But as soon as night falls, it will become a true terror for Tintin and Hensei...

But, to better illustrate the story, allow me to paint the scene:

* * *

 **Story 3: The Turnip Head Walks at Night**

Tintin watched as the amber brown leaves of a cherry blossom tree sailed in the autumn sky. He often took his role as a maternally sensitive person all on his own. When it took to caring for Hensei, his overprotective "motherness" kicked into high gear. He wanted to desperately visit Japan and visit Hensei, only because he would never let her go, even if he had to leave for Europe.

...

Right now, he was helping Hidetakai and Captain Haddock pick the rice at the rice fields located in the lower parts of the field next to the house. Picking rice seemed to be easy for Tintin, because he had seen it in books he read about Japanese agriculture. Then came the real work. It turned out that rice picking was excruciatingly painful. But he learned to deal with it, since Hidetakai named Tintin the official "pretend mother" of the Mikurajima household.

"Arg, I really don't understand how you put up with this kind of work, laddie," Haddock grumbled as he bent down for the hundredth time to grab a rice stalk from the mud. "Can you just at least pretend to enjoy doing this for once? Whatever Hensei and her family do, we do it," Tintin said, sifting through the mud, his sleeves rolled up. "You're just enjoying this because that lassie Hensei calls you 'her mommy,'" Haddock said.

"Why, you little...!" Tintin was about ready to punch Captain Haddock, but he quickly put his fist away after he saw a woman pass by them and ask, "Not getting into any trouble, I hope?" Tintin just flashed a toothy smile and replied, " _Ie, mattaku mondai wa misu ga, kokode wa arimasen._ " The woman in turn smiled and resumed her work. "Sometimes, I can't help but feel you're not normal," Haddock muttered.

After leaving the Captain to his own rantings, Tintin grabbed his full basket and headed forward to meet with Hidetakai, who hauled the other baskets on top of the wagon. "Here's the other full batch," Tintin said as he handed over the basket. "I'm quite impressed," Hidetakai said as he inspected the content inside the basket. "Seems like your friend isn't exactly the farming type."

"Ooh, Blistering Blue Barnacles! Why does this always happen to me?!"

Tintin turned and giggled as he saw a pair of women helping the Captain up after falling in the mud. The two women giggled as they helped Haddock to his feet. His blue sweater and black pants were now covered from head to with mud, and he wasn't happy about it.

Hidetakai noticed that Tintin was stretching his limbs. "You know, you deserve to rest," he told him. "What, me?" Tintin said. "I'll go back to work right now. Just needed to extend my...Ooooh!" Tintin bent over sharply, with one arm rubbing his back. "I think I got the 'working mother' spine ache," Tintin mumbled. "Gathering rice can really take a toll on your back and arms. Maybe I oughta go back to the house and rest." "Okay," Hidetakai told Tintin. "You go back to the house and rest yourself."

Tintin then stepped out of the muddy rice fields and washed his sore arms and feet on a pond. After slipping his feet into his sandals, Tintin looped the satchel round his arm and headed to the house. While walking, Tintin thought for a minute that he saw a turnip-headed scarecrow staring straight at him. He turned around and gasped. Sure enough, there was a tall scarecrow with a large turnip for a head, and he wore a painted pace with a wide, toothy smile. He even wore an old straw hat, and was dressed in tattered clothes. Tintin then blinked his eyes, and the scarecrow was gone. He shook his head and headed home.

...

Hensei squealed as soon as she heard the doors of her tatami home slide open. Tintin came back from work! "Tintin!" Hensei said, racing to the doors to greet her friend. Mezuki heard the noise and he, along with Snowy, raced to the door. "Tintin! You're...oh!" Mezuki held his breath and blushed when he saw Tintin head straight for the cot and slump down on it. "Mommy Tintin? Are you sleeping?" Hensei asked, climbing on top of Tintin.

"Oh no, sweetie," Tintin muttered breathily, stroking Hensei's hair as she laid down on his stomach. "Just had a rough day at the rice fields." As Hensei buried her face deep in Tintin's chest, Tintin tried to contain a gasp. Hensei had such a delicate face that felt soft whenever she hugged him. As Tintin began stroking Hensei's hair, he could not help but stare out the windows. For a moment, he saw the same scarecrow...right by the water well just a mile away! Tintin blinked again and found nothing again. "Nah," Tintin mumbled.

"So, what's for dinner tonight?" Tintin asked. "Are we having sushi, _hisimochi_ , shrimp tempura? Or let me guess: it'll be rice again with the teriyaki chicken again?" "Mr. Tintin, you are quite a crack-up!" Mezuki said. "No, I mean it. What are we having for dinner right now? I'm starving," Tintin said. "Well, we already set the rice cooking," Mezuki said. "How about we start that chicken, eh?" "Good idea," Tintin said, getting up. Suddenly, he saw the turnip-headed scarecrow again...by the fences! "What happened?" Hensei asked. Tintin shook his head. "Nothing," he said.

Tintin reached into the ice box and pulled put a packet of chicken wrapped up tight in plastic. Snowy tried to reach it, but Tintin was lucky to get it out of his way. His nose then caught a whiff of something sweet. "What is that delightful smell?" he asked. "Soy glaze," Mezuki said, stirring a brown, syrupy liquid in a pot. "Father finally knew how to make the soy glaze for the chicken. It's kind of like soy sauce." "The sweet kind!" Hensei said.

After cutting the chicken and stirring it in the wok, Tintin threw in a handful of spices to season it. The chicken smelled so good that Tintin almost felt his stomach twist in knots. Instead, he focused on the cooking. He stirred the chicken around as he threw in some broccoli. "Tintin, can you help me with the carrots?" Hensei asked as she was preparing the carrots to be chopped. Tintin then strode over and began to help Hensei cut the carrots.

Hours later, Tintin and the others were seated at the low tables, eating dinner. "Did you enjoy your day volunteering to pick the rice at the fields today?" Hidetakai asked. "Enjoy it? I almost threw out my back just picking the rice!" Captain Haddock ranted yet again. Then, he dug into the rice without any further question. "You know Haddock," Tintin said, his mouth full of chicken. "He's just a big fussy baby, that's all." "You're just happy because you get to be the mother of the house," Haddock grumbled. Tintin felt his blood boiling inside him. He just wanted the Captain to stop calling him "mother". He knew he was a boy, yes. But with Hensei, he never let go of his maternal instincts.

While they ate, Tintin suddenly noticed a strange shadow outside the doors. He tried to make it out, and it was the turnip head scarecrow! "Everything okay, Tintin?" Hensei asked. Tintin suddenly snapped, screaming, "Turnip head!" "Turnip head?" Haddock asked. "What is going on?" Hidetakai asked. "This might sound crazy," Tintin began, "but I think a turnip-headed scarecrow is following me."

Silence. Just then, Haddock burst out laughing. "A stalking turnip head scarecrow?!" he guffawed. "Ha ha ha! Tintin my boy, when did you get scooped up by this nonsense?!" "No, I'm serious!" Tintin said. "When I was walking home from the fields, that thing appeared! First, it was by the well, then it appeared at the fence!" "Okay, why don't we go outside and see if the turnip head is there?" Hidetakai said, grabbing Tintin's hand.

As they walked outside, Tintin led Hidetakai to the fences. "Get out here, turnip head!" he shouted as soon as he barged down the gate. But the turnip head wasn't there! "See? No turnip head here," Hidetakai said calmly. "But the...that turnip head...He was here! I saw it!" Tintin said. "Oh laddie! How did you ever get frightened by such rubbish?!" Haddock said, still laughing. "Well, it's getting late now. We should retire for the night," Hidetakai said. As the friends walked back to the house, they did not notice the turnip head scarecrow watching from behind, flashing his eternally grim smile.

...

Night fell on the Tokyo fields as the wind howled in the cherry blossom trees. Inside the house, the moon cast a shadow through the sliding doors, giving off an eerie glow. Hidetakai was asleep in his own room, Hensei and Mezuki both slept in their bedroom, and Captain Haddock slept in the study. Only Tintin was asleep beside the sliding doors, with Snowy curled up at his feet.

As the night wore on, Tintin slept soundly as the wind continued to howl in the night. Suddenly, at that moment, Tintin was awakened by the sound of his stomach rumbling. "What the...?" Tintin muttered, getting up. "Come on, I just ate dinner already; what else do you want from me?" He was already hungry again. But he figured that he could at least grab a quick midnight snack before returning to bed.

Tintin lit a candle and headed to the kitchen, where he grabbed a few rice cakes and the leftover chicken. Before sitting down, Tintin went to the sink to grab a drink of tea. That was when he saw a piece of paper before him. "Huh...?" Tintin grabbed the paper, unfolded it, and gasped. The paper read, " _Tintin, this is Turnip Head. And you better believe it. I am watching you._ " Tintin felt scared. "Ugh, remember what Haddock said: it's all nonsense," he told himself.

"Tintin?" Tintin suddenly turned and froze in place. There, standing in front of him, was Hensei, clad in her nightie and holding a candle in hand. "What are you doing up at night eating?" Hensei asked. "Nothing," Tintin said, his mouth full. After swallowing, Tintin gently grabbed Hensei and said, "Dear, I think it's a little too soon to be up at this time right now, so go back to bed. Right after I deal with that turnip head."

"But I want to help," Hensei said. "No, honey," Tintin told Hensei. "I have to go deal with the turnip head myself. You go back to bed." "Don't leave me alone," Hensei pressed on. "Hensei, I'm telling you. You need to stay here," he said. "Can I come, pretty please?" Hensei whined. Tintin knew that catching Turnip Head would be dangerous, but he certainly didn't want to leave Hensei. "Okay, you can come," Tintin said. "Just hold on to my hand." Grabbing a flashlight, he and Hensei, along with Snowy, headed out.

...

The cold wind blew forcefully at the grassy fields below. "Tintin, I'm scared," Hensei said. "It's okay, dear. It's okay," Tintin said, hugging her. Snowy shivered as the cold air blew on to him. Tintin felt sorry, so he picked Snowy up and carried him.

The friends continued walking all around the house and the gardens, but there was no sign of the turnip head scarecrow to be seen. "I don't like this," Hensei said. "It'll be all right," Tintin said. "It's not going to be like that thing'll just pop right out of nowhere."

Suddenly, Snowy let out a loud bark, followed by a whimper. "Snowy!" Tintin exclaimed, rushing to Snowy's aid. "What is it, boy?" He flashed his light at Snowy...and was shocked to discover that Snowy's tail was tied to a bucket! "Oh Snowy! How did you ever get into such a sticky fit?" Tintin said, untying Snowy's tail. He picked up his flashlight, pointing it to a fence. There, written in a bloody shade of red paint, were the words "I AM WATCHING YOU". "Did the turnip head write that?" Hensei asked, afraid. "No, there's no way he could have..."

Tintin suddenly felt a cold brush at his shoulder. "We're not alone, are we?" Tintin muttered. He pointed his flashlight...and came face to face with the smiling turnip head scarecrow! "Aah!" Tintin and Hensei screamed and ran off.

Tintin and Hensei kept running through the yard, screaming in terror as they escaped the turnip head. But the turnip head just insisted on hopping on his bamboo pole, pursuing the friends. Still flashing the grim smile, the turnip head kept on hopping.

Tintin and Hensei rounded a corner of an old barn shed and hid behind it. The turnip head didn't see them and kept on hopping. "Okay, I think we lost him," Tintin said. "That thing will never find us here."

"Mama...Mama..."

Tintin felt his stomach flip as soon as he heard that faint voice. "What was that?!" Tintin whispered, his voice cracking. He and Hensei then turned around. They found an old doll that was wound up, repeatedly saying, "Mama." It kept on walking until it hit a wall, knocking over. Its repetitive "Mama" phrase then died out.

Tintin suddenly felt a strange feeling in his arms. "Okay, why do my arms feel wet and sticky?" he asked. "Oh no," Hensei said. "Tintin, look at your hands!" Tintin picked up his hands and shrieked. His hands and arms were completely coated in a red and sticky ooze! Tintin began trembling, because he knew all too well what kind of liquid this was, and it certainly wasn't the good kind of red liquid he'd find himself in!

"Aah! Blood! I've been wallowing in blood!" he screamed. "I've been...wait a minute!" Tintin held one hand up, sniffed it, and licked the sticky ooze. "This isn't blood!" he said. "This is just fruit jam somebody left in here!"

"Okay, but can you try telling that to the turnip head?" Hensei asked. "What turnip head?" Tintin said. Hensei pointed the flashlight, revealing the turnip head! "Aah! The turnip head!" Tintin and Hensei both yelled out. They tried to run away, but Tintin tripped over the buckets of fruit jam and fell, the jam staining his pajamas, legs, and bare feet. Hensei picked him up and they both continued to run.

...

Hensei and Tintin both ran out of the shed and behind the well. As the turnip head hopped by, they sighed in relief. "Okay, I'm sure this time we actually lost him," Tintin said. "Tintin, do you smell that?" Hensei asked. Tintin sniffed the air. "Ooh, now I smell it too," Tintin said, sniffing the air. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ugh, and it smells rotten too! Like somebody left a jar of pickled cabbage out in the sun too long!" "Or maybe it's the batch of onions let out here in front of us," Hensei said.

To Tintin's surprise, there were onions left out by the well! "Talk about stink and the stinker," Tintin sniffed. He felt tears coming to his eyes. "I'm gonna..." "Oh, are you crying?" Hensei asked. "No! The onions are making my eyes water!" Tintin blurted out. He then saw a piece of calligraphy paper on the grass. He unfolded it, which revealed a hidden message: "I AM STILL WATCHING YOU". "And now, we're all gonna die," Tintin said. They instantly found Turnip Head before them! "Let's get out of here!" Tintin screamed.

Tintin and Hensei both ran farther and farther from the well to escape the turnip head scarecrow. They ran and ran until they came across the rice fields. The mud glistened in the light as the moon shone down on the fields. The friends realized they had come to a dead end.

"Dead end," Tintin said. "Come on, Tintin!" Hensei said, grabbing his hand. "Let's jump in!" "Whoa whoa whoa!" Tintin said. "There's no way we're going in there! The mud's too wet; you'll catch cold!" "But this is the only way we'll escape Turnip Head!" Hensei said. Tintin saw lights from the distance. "You know what, that's a great idea!" he said. "Let's go! Or else Turnip Head comes to get us!" Then, he, Hensei, and Snowy jumped in the mud.

The friends trudged though the mud. During the trek, Tintin fell down, waist-deep in mud. "Ow! My ankle!" Tintin said, wincing in pain."Tintin!" Hensei exclaimed, rushing to her friend's aid. The flashing lights drew closer as it closed in on the fields. "I never thought I'd end up like this!" Tintin whimpered, hugging Hensei. "Hensei, no matter what I've always bent through, I always, always liked you!" "Tintin, I sort of used your sweater to wipe manure off my daddy's boots!" Hensei said. "Waaaa...Wait, what?" Tintin said, slightly disgusted.

...

"Tintin! Tintin!"

"Hidetakai?" Tintin, slightly blinded, suddenly saw Hidetakai and Captain Haddock flashing their flashlights at the friends. "What are you two doing out here this late at night?" Hidetakai asked. Tintin struggled to stand up, but he was helped up by the Captain. "But I...that...the turnip head...I...I..." Tintin stuttered, paralyzed with fear. "Hensei, why would be wandering off with Tintin this late at night?" Hidetakai asked. "Tintin wanted to find the turnip head," Hensei said. "I understand," Hidetakai said. "But you should never be wandering off outside in the dark, especially by yourself. What if you had hurt yourself?" "I'm sorry, Daddy," Hensei said, hanging her head.

"The turnip head! That thing...I saw it! It was there! I...I..." Tintin kept stuttering, but Hidetakai was calming him down. "There, there Tintin," Hidetakai said calmly. "It's all right. The turnip head is gone." He took another look at Tintin, who was completely coated in mud. "Blistering barnacles, Tintin!" Haddock said. "How did you ever get into such a mess? I mean, look at you! You're all filthy and covered in mud and some fruit jam!" "Come, let's go," Hidetakai said. "It's too cold to be out here. And you could catch cold." The friends all walked back home, without any other threat.

...

The next morning, Tintin sat in the bathtub with Hensei, feeling depressed. "I can't believe it," Tintin mumbled, scrubbing behind his ears. "I can't believe I let fear take over me." "Aw, it's okay," Hensei said, washing Snowy. "I think you're brave to be the best pretend mommy I have."

Haddock came and started scrubbing Tintin's hair. "Captain, do you really have to do this?" Tintin asked. "I know," Haddock said. "It's your bath, and your punishment, all in one!" " But Hensei didn't get punished; she just got a mere warning from Hidetakai," Tintin said. "Aw, come now! I don't mind none!" Haddock said. "And I hope you're holding on to something secure! 'Cause now it's time to wash behind the backside!" Tintin leaned over and cringed as Haddock began running the scrub brush down his back and on to his rear end. Hensei began to laugh. "Ugh, this is so embarrassing!" Tintin yelled out as he began to sink under the bubbles of the bathtub.


	4. The Curse of Tintin

*Nestor closes the book in front of him*

How shocking. I would've felt the same way myself if a walking scarecrow happened to be following me wherever I go. But this goes to show that you can never trust a scarecrow. Especially with a large turnip for a head.

But...

I would say that the moral of that story is: Always look over your shoulder, because you never know if someone behind you may be watching.

And if you don't run, he may just follow you. Everywhere.

*thunder and lightning crash from outside*

*Nestor sits back down on his armchair, then opens the book again*

Now, let's listen to a story that may shock you. *opens the book*

We begin our story in a quaint little farm in the countryside of Russia. It had started as any other day in the autumn season. But unbeknownst to young master Tintin, a wave of bad luck is yet to plague him. But for a better explanation, let me set the stage...

* * *

 **Story 4: The Curse of Tintin**

"Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

...

Tintin rolled around in his bed lazily. "Ugh, Haddock! Can you turn the alarm clock off?!" he yelled out. "I'm trying to sleep here!" Groaning, Tintin fluttered his eyes open. "Wait a minute, I'm not dreaming. This is reality," he grumbled as he sat up in his bed. It was yet another crystal clear morning in the Russian countryside. Tintin and his friends Alex, Benton, and Captain Haddock all came because the day before, Alex had told her little gypsy friend Miarka about Tintin's friends Nadia and Peter. And Miarka was so excited and couldn't wait to meet them. So, they had planned a week-long trip to the beautiful Russian village of Mikatyushka.

As Tintin decided to crawl back into bed, he felt a tapping on his shoulder. "Arg, Haddock! I told you already: I don't want to..." Tintin paused, for he saw Miarka by his bedside, carrying Snowy in one arm. "Oh, hi," Tintin said. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else." "Mr. Haddock told me to wake you," Miarka told Tintin. "He told me to tell you that the breakfast is ready. "Okay, kid. Hold on, I'll go get dressed," Tintin said as he got up. "I'll be down in a few." As soon as he said this, Miarka then skipped outside the door.

Tintin rose out of bed and started digging into his suitcase. After he had removed his pajama shirt and exposing his chest, he was just about to pick the right shirt...until Alex burst into the room.

"Alex!" Tintin said, covering himself with his shirt. "A little privacy, please!" "Sorry, hunky boy," Alex teased, making Tintin blush red all over. "Mrs. Dorevsky wants you guys to finish getting dressed and downstairs for breakfast. We're having _kasha_ , whatever that is. I hope it's cereal. Also, they're cooking toast with ham, cheese, the works! Man, just saying all that is making me hungry!" "Okay okay, I'll be down in a minute," Tintin said. "Oh, wait! Wait!" Alex said. "What?" Tintin asked, slightly annoyed. At that moment, Alex snapped a picture of Tintin's chest with her camera. "There. Perfection," Alex said while walking out the door.

...

A few minutes later, Tintin trudged down the stairs into the kitchen, all decked out in his white and red tunic with black trousers and black boots. "Friend Tintin!" Nadia exclaimed. "You're here for breakfast!" "I guess I am," Tintin muttered as he sat down at the table. Little Miarka came in last, holding Snowy as she sat down. "I just knew you'd come down for breakfast this morning, brother," Benton said. "The kids wouldn't stop chatting my ear off about you." "Aye, and that lady Sonia really knows how to treat her guests!" Haddock added in.

"Tintin dear, would you like to be the first one to serve?" Sonia asked, passing the _kasha_ to Tintin. "Oh, okay. Sure," Tintin said as he ladled a spoonful of the mush into his bowl. The other friends continued as they served the porridge for themselves. Then, they began passing out plates as they served themselves ham, cheese, and bread slices.

"So, what's new today?" Tintin asked while eating his food. "Care to tell, Nadia?" Richard asked Nadia. Nadia was too eager. "We're expecting a visit from another circus group!" she exclaimed. "A visiting circus? That's great!" Tintin said while munching on a piece of bread with cheese. "I've never seen another circus visit before!" "That's right," Richard said. "This circus is called the Cirque de Mystique. They're a traveling gypsy circus. The reason why is that some of their patrons are gypsies." "Just like me!" Miarka exclaimed. "Hey, now we get to meet other gypsies!" Alex said. "I can hardly wait!"

"And just why do they call this here circus The Cirque de Mystique, anyway?" Haddock asked, confused. "Because their acts and performances focus on the surreal imagination and fantasy of the supernatural world," Peter replied. "Wow, those are some big words there," Benton said. "Sometimes, their acts are rumored to be secret rituals to summon the inhabitants of the supernatural world," Sonia added in. "Wow, a supernatural circus," Benton said, wide-eyed. "I've always wanted to see that."

Richard looked at his watch. He heard the wheels of a caravan screech to a stop. "It looks like they're here!" he said. "Finish up your breakfast and get yourselves straightened up!" Tintin and the others then hurried to eat, and they cleaned the tables soon after.

...

A knock on the door. Richard grabbed his notepad and went to answer it. The door opened to reveal Mr. Van de Poussaint, the head manager of the Cirque de Mystique. "You Mr. Richard Dorevsky?" he asked. "It is such an honor to finally meet you," Richard said, shaking the manager's hand. "Ah, yes! And I'd like you to meet my family." He introduced Mr. Van de Poussaint to his family. "This is my wife, Sonia. And these are my two children, Nadia and Peter." "A pleasure to meet you," Mr. Van de Poussaint said as he bent down to greet Peter and Nadia.

Then, his attention turned to Tintin. "And who might these lovely folk be?" he asked. "Ah yes, of course!" Richard said. "These are friends from Belgium. That's Tintin, his brother Benton, and his friends Alex and Captain Haddock." "Hello," Tintin said, speaking up as he waved.

Mr. Van de Poussaint stepped up to Tintin. "Have you ever seen real life spirit before, boy?" he asked mysteriously. Tintin was stunned. "No?" Mr. Van de Poussaint asked. "If you haven't, the next thing you know, you'll be in for the shock of your life! Understand?" Tintin gulped and smiled nervously, answering him with a firm "Yes, sir." "Come outside," Mr. Van de Poussaint said. "You all can get to see the rest of the circus."

Outside, the yard was full of gypsy caravans, wagons, carts full of animals, and a dressing cart that held the costumes. "It's like a gypsy's dream come true," Alex said dreamily. "Never though I'd live to see all this," Benton said as a gypsy woman unloading the props gave him a rare wink. "Aren't they just a rare beauty?" Mr. Van de Poussaint asked. "I say,it's really quite...mysical," Tintin said. "How does all this work, exactly?" Haddock asked. As he glanced at cage holding a chimp, the chimp extended his hairy arm and grabbed the Captain's beard. "Arg! Blistering barnacles, get this simian's paws off me!" he yelled as the others laughed.

While the friends scoped out the rest of the circus, Tintin and Miarka continued down a path, where they found a caravan with the sign "Dama Fortuna, Soothsayer and Card Reader". "Can we go in there?" Miarka asked Tintin. "Can we go inside? Please, please, please?" Nadia came running up to them and glanced at the sign. "I see you guys found the fortune teller," she said. "You guys should go in."

Tintin, however, was quick to critique. "I don't know," Tintin said. "I really don't trust fortune tellers. They could get a prediction wrong, or even make a mistake in reading tarot cards." Still, he went in anyway, since Nadia and Miarka kept begging him.

...

"H-hello?"

Tintin opened the door of the caravan slowly and peeped inside. It was dark inside, with shelves full of books, jars, skulls, scarves, and plants. Drapes were hung everywhere. The air was musty, with a hint of jasmine-scented perfume filling the air. Keeping the girls close to him, Tintin surveyed the entire caravan. "Smells nice in here," he muttered.

"Who dares enter Dama Fortuna's caravan?" a mysterious voice said. Tintin turned and saw a middle-aged woman seated at a table covered with a purple and gold sequined tablecloth. She had lots of jewelry on her, and for some reason, had a small ring pierced on her nose. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I disturb you?" Tintin said. "I was just leaving." He headed for the door. "No. Come, my child," Dama Fortuna said, gesturing to him with one finger. "How about letting Dama Fortuna tell you your fortune? Come here, and I will read your palm." "Um...Okay, I guess," Tintin said, coming back around.

"You sit," Dama Fortuna said. Tintin sat down on his seat firmly. "Give hand," Dama Fortuna said. Tintin reached out and extended his hand. Dama Fortuna felt his palm and said, "Oh, yes. I see. A reporter. Lucky to get out of a fight without a scratch, yes. And...Ooh!" Dama Fortuna paused, horror stricken in her eyes. "What's wrong?" Tintin asked.

Dama Fortuna immediately placed Tintin's hand on her crystal ball. She looked absolutely horrified. "Oh, my dear," she said. "Your life is in danger." "Danger?" Nadia asked. "What kind of danger?" Miarka asked. "My child," Dama Fortuna told Tintin, "you better be warned. A plague of bad luck will strike you. Wherever you, go, you'll be cursed with bad luck. Beware black cats. Avoid cracks. Fear will be your enemy." She took a card that had the symbol of a hand holding an eye in light.

"Take this card, child," she said. "Do not let it out of your sight." "Okay...I guess?" Tintin said as he gently took the card from the woman and got up to leave.

...

After they left the caravan, Tintin just laughed. "Bad luck, my right!" Tintin said. "I don't believe in bad luck. That's why you should never trust fortune tellers." He threw the card down on the sidewalk, but Nadia picked it up. "Wait, Tintin!" she said. "You should keep it in case." "Yes. What if the curse is real?" Miarka asked. She slipped the card inside of Tintin's pocket. "Come now, Miarka," Tintin told the girl. "Bad luck isn't real. It's just a myth. Like a fairy tale."

Along the way, Tintin noticed a black cat straying along the path. At that moment, Nadia instantly remembered the fortune teller's warning: "Beware black cats."

"Aah, a black cat!" Miarka said. "Tintin, don't go near it!" Nadia exclaimed. "What, this little guy? I see no spot or inch of bad luck on this creature." Tintin said, petting the cat and letting it lick his hand. "C'mon guys, he's harmless," Tintin said, urging the girls to come to him. "He wouldn't even hurt a living soul!" Suddenly, the cat sank its teeth into Tintin's hand!

From far away, Richard was busy talking when he suddenly heard the scream. "What was that?" he asked. "That doesn't sound good," Benton said. "Could that be Tintin?" Peter asked. "Well, whatever it is we have to go see it!" Haddock said. They all ran until they came across Tintin and the girls. Tintin was doubled over, wincing in pain as he held his hand.

"What happened to you?" Richard asked. "A...cat...bit...me," Tintin managed to say. He pried his hand away to reveal a tiny and bloody bite mark on his hand. "How did this happen?" Haddock asked. "He has bad luck!" Miarka said. "Bad luck, really?" Alex said. "You know what Tintin said. There's no such thing as bad luck," Benton said. "Yes! Thank you!" Tintin said, turning to Nadia. "Told ya." "Well, if we don't fix his hand real soon, we'll all have bad luck," Richard said. "For all we know, that cat could have had rabies or something."

Back at the house, Richard had washed Tintin's bitten hand and wrapped it in a tight bandage. "There!" he said. "Your hand will be better in no time!" "Thanks," Tintin said. "I know that bad luck isn't real, but I doubt nothing else could happen as well." As he got up, he felt a slight creak. Then, a crack. He found himself falling to the floor. "Huh. The chair broke," Tintin said. "It's probably old anyway." "Bad luck," Nadia said.

"Ugh, enough with this bad luck nonsense!" Alex said. "She's right. We have to forget all about this..." Tintin screamed and fell. He had twisted his foot while trying to walk to the couch! "Somebody get a cane!" he exclaimed. Peter ran to grab a nearby cane. "Here you are, Tintin!" he said. Tintin took hold of the cane and tried to stand up. But the twisting agony in his foot got in the way. "Okay, ow! I am hurt! I am very much hurt!" Tintin exclaimed. "Maybe you ought to rest for now," Benton said. "Just let your ankles heal up."

"No way!" Tintin said. "I would, um, very much like to take a walk around town." "I'm going with you!" Miarka exclaimed. "Are you sure you'll be okay out there?" Sonia asked. "Your ankle is still in bad shape." "Don't worry, Miss Sonia," Tintin said, heading out the door. "I'll be fine!"

...

At the village, Tintin tried to walk with his cane while holding up his foot. However, the pain was still excruciatingly sharp. Miarka was still thinking that it was bad luck. But Tintin just thought it was a mere conspiracy. No matter how hard she tried, she still could not convince Tintin that he would be cursed.

As they passed by a an outdoor restaurant, a customer had trouble shaking salt on his meat. "Excuse me, comrade," he told Tintin. "I seem to have difficulty getting salt out of this salt shaker. Help me, will you?" "Of course," Tintin said. He reached for the salt shaker, and just before he could shake the salt out, it slipped from his fingers and spilled on the floor.

"Oops, butter fingers," Tintin said as he returned the shaker to the man. "But at least you have enough salt." When he left, Tintin thought he had it in the bag. But, then, he stepped on his cane and fell into a mud puddle! From nearby, passing onlookers began to laugh. "Are you okay, Tintin?" Miarka asked as she was shooing away the onlooking passerby. "Ugh, I'm fine," Tintin said, wiping the mud off his face. "But I'm a mess now."

To add to the problem, a car passed by and sprayed water all over Tintin! Nearby, a little boy who was walking with his mother began to laugh at Tintin. "Mommy! Mommy, the man got wet!" The boy said, giggling. "Misha!" The mother snapped. "What have I told you about gawking at strangers?" The boy fell silent as the mother scolded him.

"My day just keeps getting better," Tintin said as he got to his feet. "It's bad luck!" Miarka said. "Miarka, how many times do I got to tell you? There's no such thing as bad luck!" Tintin said, getting steamed. "How can there be such a thing as bad luck? I am not going to believe some confounded conspiracy that a crazy old fortune teller told me!"

He then found his answer when he stepped on a crack on the the sidewalk. At that moment, Tintin doubled over in pain, with one hand to his back. "Ow, my spine!" Tintin exclaimed, doubling over in pain. Maybe it wasn't all a myth anymore. This time, it was real.

"Oh no," Tintin said, suddenly coming to terms with the truth. "So it's true. Maybe I am cursed!"

...

Back at the house, Benton and the others began to grow worried. "I wonder when Tintin will be back?" Alex asked. "I just hope he hasn't gone out too far," Benton said. "Don't worry, the lad will be fine! I'm sure of it!" Haddock said.

"I'm getting worried," Benton said. "I don't like it. I should probably go to the town and see how Tintin is holding up." He then grabbed his coat and headed for the door, only to be stopped by Peter. "Benton, you can't go outside alone," Peter said. "Sometimes the road back to the village can be dangerous."

"But still, I feel like Nadia was right about Tintin. Maybe he really does have bad luck," Benton said. "It is possible," Nadia said. "Then we may have to go and see that Tintin is okay!" Peter said. Then, all three friends went out to search for their friend.

...

Meanwhile, Tintin was downright miserable. He was dirty and aching all over.

At one point, he accidentally lost a shoe after he got his foot stuck in a sewer drain. It happened when Tintin and Miarka were now walking in the street alongside the sidewalk curb. At that point, Tintin felt his foot get caught in something. He turned around and saw that his foot was stuck in the sewer drain. "Miarka!" Tintin said. "Help me, will you?" Miarka nodded and then got to helping Tintin. As nearby onlookers watched, Miarka managed to free Tintin's foot. But at the cost of his left shoe.

"Well, isn't that something?" Tintin said. "Now my foot is cold." "Don't worry," Miarka said. "Maybe somebody will find your shoe and give it back to you." "Gee, thanks for the support," Tintin grumbled.

As the two friends continued to walk, they passed a nearby booth that sold tapioca pudding. Tintin sighed and sniffed a little. "Hmm, I feel a little hungry," Tintin said as he approached the booth. "Can I help you?" The vendor asked. "Can I have a bowl of tapioca pudding please?" Tintin asked.

The vendor nodded and spooned a bit of pudding into a plastic bowl. "That'll be ten rubles," the vendor told Tintin. "Sure," Tintin said. "Let me get my wallet." Tintin put his hand in his pocket, and his heart sank. It was then that he discovered that he left his wallet at home. "Oh. I seem to have forgotten it," Tintin mumbled. The vendor huffed. "No money, no bowl for you," he said gruffly, returning the bowl to its place. Miarka grew worried.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she saw Tintin sitting on a bench. Tintin turned around angrily. "What do you think? I'm aching. And I'm in bad shape," Tintin muttered angrily. "I'm hungry. My feet ache. And my good foot is getting cold." He rubbed his foot against his pants to keep it warm.

Suddenly, a bee flew down and began to circle Tintin. Using his cane, Tintin tried to swat the bee away. Unfortunately, his cane hit a telephone pole, and it electrocuted Tintin. Tintin fell over, unconscious. "Sir, are you all right?" a man said while helping Tintin to his feet. Still jittery from the electric shock, Tintin was still okay. Suddenly, it began to rain. "Great," Tintin said. "Just what I needed!"

Suddenly, Tintin began to cry silently. "Oh, how am I going to live with a curse of bad luck ruining my life?" he said through his tears. "I can't even show my face to this world!" He then began to run deep into the snow-covered forests. "Wait!" Miarka cried out after him.

...

Running deeper into the forests, Tintin was breathing heavily and shamelessly as he pushed through the trees and bushes. The snow was already beginning to make his other foot grow numb from the cold. The trees and sharp branches scratched and tore his clothes. His face ended up scratched and scarred.

He trioped into an ice cold lake. He screamed when the water hit his face. "Ugh, you stupid, stupid curse!" he shouted to the sky. "You've done enough damage to me! So come and get me!" He threw his hands in the air, his hands balled into fists. "What are you waiting for?!" Tintin screamed. "Come and get me!"

Suddenly, a clump of snow fell and toppled onto Tintin. "Drat," Tintin grumbled. "So that's how they want to play, huh? Suddenly, the clouds grew dark. Glowing eyes began to peer out of every bush. A cold breeze began to blow. The trees swayed this way and that, uttering a low howl. "Oh no!" Tintin muttered. "The curse is growing even worse!" "Your fear grows," a voice said. "Now you will succumy to my death!"

"No, please, no!" Tintin exclaimed, sobbing as he hid under a bush. Now he was beginning to regret ever dismissing the fortune teller's warning about the curse. "I-I'm sorry that I didn't believe everyone! I should've known from the start that bad luck was real! Just please! Don't hurt me! Please, I'm begging you!"

"Under one condition!"

"Yes, what is it?" Tintin cried out, feeling scared.

"Let Alex dress you up in cowboy duds!"

"Okay okay! I'll let Alex...wait a minute, what?"

...

Tintin suddenly turned and sifted through the bushes. There, he found Alex pretending to be the "ghost" haunting him. "Let Alex and friends eat all your brownies for dessert after dinner!" Alex kept saying.

Tintin was seething with rage. "ALEX!" He exploded as he forcibly grabbed Alex from the bushes and thrust her out. "What is going on?! How did you guys find me?! Tintin shouted. "You-atch!-you almost nearly-achoo!-nearly scared me!" Oh, a little someone helped us," Alex said.

"Hi Tintin!" Miarka said. Soon, the other friends all came, clad in their winter wear. "Brother!" Benton exclaimed, hugging his brother. "Lad, we were so worried about you! Where have you been?" "I tried running away from the curse-achoo!" Tintin said. "Tintin, I just realized something!" Nadia said. "There is no bad luck!" Peter said. "Yea! It was just strange coincidences that just happened to you!" Benton said. "Now we're all good here!"

"So, this whole time, I never had bad luck? All of that was just one big blunder just to get me?!" Tintin ssid, his voice raising. "AAAAUUUGGGHHH! THE IRONY OF IT ALL! ALL OF THAT WAS JUST ONE BIG BAD CONSPIRACY! I CANNOT BELIEVE I GOT SCARED FOR NOTHING! I-oh! My stomach!" Tintin said, doubling over. He was still hungry, and it left him tired and aching all over. "You know what? I think we should take you home," Alex said. "Yea. You might catch cold," Benton said. They wrapped Tintin in a blanket and took him back to the house.

...

Back at the house, Tintin was sneezing and sniffling all over as he was propped on a comfy chair toward the fire. "You sure do look like you've been out too long," Benton said as he stirred the soup. "Thanks," Tintin said. "So you think I really did have bad luck?" "Of course not," Benton said. "I think you're one lucky guy." "I love you, Tintin!" Miarka said, hugging Tintin. "Achoo! I love you too," Tintin said, hugging her back.


	5. The House on the End of the Hill

*Nestor closes the book for a moment, then turns to the audience*

And that's the end of that story. But luck never runs out. True bad luck some when we would least expect it. Why, if we were all cursed, we'd have about eh same amount of bad luck that some do.

But the true moral of this story is: Be sure to trust ominous warnings. Should you ignore them, then prepare yourselves for the worst. Because then we'd all be plagued with...the curse.

*lightning cracks*

Now, why don't we conclude this night with a story that is genuinely terrifying? *opens the book*

Now we return back to Brussels. On Halloween night, ghosts and ghouls come out to play. But should Tintin anc company encounter an old haunted house...

Well, let me set the scene for you all...

* * *

 **Story 5: The House on the End of the Hill**

"Trick or treat!"

It was Halloween time in Brussels. Everywhere, children dressed up as witches, ghosts, vampires, and animals ran from house to house for candy. They often ran up and down the streets while cautious parents followed behind them. Though Halloween wasn't too big of a thing in Europe, the little kids did not seem to mind at all.

...

During that night, Tintin, Yan, Benton, and Alex were asked to take the kids trick or treating through the neighborhood. And those kids would be Miwa, Meimei, Matthew, Heidi, Bellino, and baby Ming Shen. Miwa and Meimei went as a ladybug and butterfly, Matthew and Heidi as cowboy and cowgirl, and little Ming Shen was dressed in a bear costume. As for the others, Benton wanted to be a pirate, Yan went as a ballerina, and Alex went for a werewolf-turned Red Riding Hood. And Tintin's obvious choice? A vampire.

The kids eagerly raced up the doorstep of one house, while Tintin and the others followed behind them. They just wanted to get a fairly decent amount of treats for themselves as well. After Miwa rang the doorbell, a smiling woman holding a basket of candy opened the door, upon the kids exclaiming, "Trick or treat!"

"Oh, what pretty costumes we have right here!" the woman said, grinning and handing each kid a piece of wrapped toffee. "We have a ladybug, a butterfly, a cowboy and cowgirl, and a knight in shining armor! How lovely!" Soon, the other friends got their treats as they lined up to score a decent amount of candy.

As Tintin came last with the baby, the woman gave him one look and asked him nicely, "Aren't you a little too old to be trick or treating?" "I'm just doing it for the kids," Tintin said. "They wouldn't stop begging me. Besides, I'm just here for the candy, all that sweet stuff." "That seems fine to me," the woman said as she proudly plopped a chocolate bar in Tintin's bag. "Have a nice night!" "You too!" Tintin said as he left.

...

The friends all walked down the street, stopping by different houses and receiving lots of candy. And in almost every house, Tintin was often asked whether he was a bit too old for getting candy. But at least he tried to conceal his anger for once.

"You having fun, Tintin?" Yan asked while Miwa and Meimei were busy singing, "It's Halloween Time! Halloween time! Bats and ghosts come out to play! And little kids get treats!" "Now I finally get to eat me some candy!" Benton exclaimed. "Of course, I hope we all don't get tummy aches in the morning," Yan said. "But we're still having fun, aren't we?" Alex said.

As they continued walking up the street, they found Malina and Hanna all dressed up. Malina was dressed as Snow White, and Hanna as a kitty flapper. "Hey, want an apple to go with your outfit, Snow White?" Tintin asked, reaching into his bag and pulling out an apple. "Haha, very funny, Count Ginger Fangs," Malina said.

"Nice costume, Hanna!" Benton said. "Where'd you get it?" "Oh, this dress is actually my aunt's," Hanna said. "Aunt Jenny let me borrow it for Halloween." "Oh my, Alex. What big paws you have," Malina said. "The better to hug my bestie with!" Alex said, embracing Malina. "You guys want to come with us?" Tintin said. "We've gone to nearly every house on the block, where is there more candy?"

"I think we didn't get candy from the house on the hill," Hanna said. "Are you sure?" Alex said. "I heard that house is haunted." "A haunted house?" Benton asked. "For real? I don't think I've been to that corner of town before." "We wanna go! We wanna go!" Miwa and Meimei both shouted. "Can we go?" Matthew asked. "Please, please, please?" Heidi asked. "Oh, okay," Tintin said. "Let's go check it out!"

...

Soon, the friends kept walking until they came across a dark and gloomy house perched on the end of a steep hill. Dead trees circled the perimeter, casting shadows that looked like spindly arms. An eerie yellow glow came from inside the house as it gave the windows a musty glow.

"Huh. I don't think I've seen this place before," Tintin said. Suddenly, something began to rustle in a pile of leaves. "Who's there?" Benton asked. "Show yourself!" Soon, the leaves gave way, and a girl came up. "Oh, who are you?" she asked. "Well, who are you?" Tintin asked. "I'm Connie," the girl said. "Connie McCormick." "Why would you be hiding out here?"Benton asked. "It's my house," Connie said. "It's being invaded by ghosts, and monsters everywhere!" "Monsters? Please," Tintin said as he strutted up the steps. "There's nothing in the world that can scare a big, tough reporter like me." Soon, a mouse scurried beneath his feet. "Yipe! Get it off me, get it off me, get it off me!" Tintin screamed.

"Where's your manly toughness now?" Alex snickered. "I wasn't scared!" Tintin said. "I just felt something on my foot." Then, he turned to Connie. "Anyway, if you say there's bats and ghosts in your house, then there's a mystery afoot. And we're going in your house to find out." He and the others started for the door. "No, wait!" Connie pleaded. "Those monsters will get you! I'm telling you, there's evil in that house!" But the friends insisted, and went inside.

...

The doors creaked open as Tintin opened them inside. The house was dark and desolate. Candles on the walls were burning an eerie orange glow. "This doesn't seem scary at all," Tintin said. His voice echoed through the halls. "Come on, guys." Everyone else stepped inside the foyer.

"Ooh, scary!" Heidi said. "But where's all the bats and ghosts?" Bellino asked. "They have to be here somewhere," Miwa said. "So, how to you people plan to rid my house of all these horrific apparitions?" Connie asked. "Glad you asked," Tintin said. "There has to be any area where those ghoulish bozos must be hiding. We better split up and search the house." He unfolded a map that Connie gave him of the house. "Yan, Alex, Miwa, and Meimei, you guys search the bedrooms. Hanna, Benton, Matthew, and Heidi will search the libraries. Malina, Bellino, the baby, and me will investigate the kitchen and dining room."

So, it was all set. The friends had split up into separate groups. Then, they set off to find where those bats and ghosts were hiding in the house.

As they entered the bedrooms, the girls set to work. "Wow, what a set up," Yan said. "Reminds me of the kind of bedroom my parents dream of having back in San Gibraltar,'' Alex said. She sifted through the bedsheets while Yan was busy searching the dressers and drawers. Meanwhile, Miwa and Meimei wandered off into the closet. They could not believe their eyes when they saw hundreds of pretty dresses before their them!

"Ms. Alex! Ms. Alex!" Miwa and Meimei both shouted. "Look!" Alex turned and saw Miwa and Meimei both wearing the dresses they found inside the closet, complete with fancy hats and shoes! "Girls, put those back," Alex said. "We're not here to play dress up. We're solving a mystery." The girls went to put the clothes back in the closet when they heard a piercing voice. "My dresses! Who has been touching my dresses!?" All the girls screamed as the shutters burst open and leaves flew inside.

...

In the house's library, Hanna and Benton shone their flashlight around. Matthew and Heidi hurried inside to see the place. "Whoa. There must be rows and rows of books as far as I can see!" Hanna said dreamily. If it involved books, Hanna was in heaven. "I'm guessing you love books a lot," Benton said. "I do," Hanna said. "I've never seen a library full of books before, except for my house."

"Look at this!" Hanna said, pulling a book off a shelf. "The Complete Works of T.S. Eliot! I am such a huge fan of his work!" "Okay, but we're not here to go book-shopping," Benton said. "We have to see if there is really ghosts in here." "Daddy, look!" Matthew exclaimed. "We found a paper!" Heidi said. Benton grabbed the paper and unfolded it. "Turn around," he read. The others turned and saw a larger piece of paper. Written in red paint, the paper read, "GET OUT!" Suddenly, bats everywhere began to terrorize the friends as ghosts filled the library!

"Let's get out of here!" Hanna said. "It's obviously clear that that ghost wants us out!" "Good thinking!" Benton said as he And Hanna both escaped from the library.

...

Meanwhille, in the kitchen and dining room, Tintin and the others were surprised at how it looked. "For a haunted house, they really are a bunch of neat freaks," Malina said, examining the dining table. "I mean, look at this. They set their table real good." "Of course. But looks can be deceiving," Tintin said. The baby began to stir. "Shh, you're all right, baby. You're okay," Tintin said as he wandered inot the kitchen. There just had to be something with clues, just something...

"Hmm. No sign of fingerprints anywhere," Malina muttered, picking up a salad plate and dusting it for fingerprints. "Malina! Look at Tintin!" Bellino exclaimed. He and Malina went into the kitchen, and were surprised to find Tintin nibbling on a piece of frosting from a cake that was on the shelf. Tintin paused as he saw them. "I'm not eating the cake," he said, Frosting hanging from his mouth. "Tintin!" Malina scolded. "Why are you eating at a time like this?! You know now is not the time to eat the sweets! What if those ghosts find us and boil us into stew?"

"You're afraid that a witch is going to eat us?" Tintin asked sarcastically. "Like Hansel and Gretel?" "Come on, you know that story was real," Malina said. "It's sickening to think about a witch that eats children." Suddenly, a voice came out of nowhere, saying, "Someone's been trespassing in my house! Someone's been touching my cake!" Tintin froze. "I think that's our cue to run and scream now," he said. "Good idea," Malina said.

...

Soon, all the friends were now running and screaming as ghosts began to swoop down on them and scare them frightened. Bats everywhere began to screech and shout as they flew all around. The ghosts then began to terrorize the friends as they popped up from every angle, shrieking and attacking them! The friends had not other choice but to leave the house for good.

Connie was there to greet the friends on the way out. "What on earth happened?" she asked. "Ghosts! Trying to get us!" Alex panted. "Bats, bats! Everywhere!" Hanna managed to say. "They want to scare us!" Yan exlcaimed. "Never go in that house! They're going to boil us and eat us like living appetizers and hors d'oeuvres!" Tintin eclaimed, panting heavily.

Suddenly, the bushes began to rustle. Miwa parted the bushes open and found a man wearing glasses and a suit, shouting through a megaphone, "Please be our eternal house guests forever!" "Tintin! There's some guy over here shouting the same things the ghosts told us!" Miwa exclaimed. "And he's saying the same things the ghosts are saying!" Heidi exclaimed.

Connie noticed the man and strutted toward him. "Father, what are you doing in the bushes?" she asked. "It's not what it looks like, sweetie," the man said. "Father?" the friends asked all together.

"Someone's been trespassing in our home!" Soon, a woman wearing a loose-fitting dress came out, shouting through a bullhorn. "Mother! Are you trying to act scary again?" Connie asked the woman. "C-Connie dear, it's not what you think," the woman told her.

"Mother?!" the friends all shouted. "Okay, what's going on here?!" Tintin asked, outraged. Connie turned to the friends. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "Guys, these are my parents, Dan and Elle McCormick. We're a family of stage actors." "Stage actors?" Benton asked. "What would stage actors be doing in a haunted house?" "Well," Elle said, "that's basically just our house. We decorated it with Halloween decorations."

"Then what were all those bats, ghosts, and monsters in the house?" Malina asked. "Oh, those? They're just leftover props from our production of 'Sleepy Hollow'!" Dan said. "No way!" Hanna said.

"Why did you guys pretend that your house was hunted and scare us half to death?" Tintin asked. Elle felt guilty. "Because nobody ever comes trick or treating at our house anymore," she said. "Some children have been spreading rumors that our house was the most haunted out of all of Brussels." "And we though that the best way to get more kids to get candy from us is to make our house haunted," Dan said. "Well, you could've just made your house less scary and avoid trying to scare away the kids," Malina said.

"And speaking of kids," Tintin said, "Mr. and Mrs. McCormick, you've got some trick or treaters here. Kids?" The kids then held out their bags and all shouted, "Trick or treat!" Dan and Elle felt happy. Elle ran to get a bowl of candy and gave the kids each a plentiful amount of candy. Soon, their bags were all full. Connie even gave Tintin and the others some candy as well. "You guys have a good night, then!" Tintin said to the family as he and the others walked away. It was certainly a Halloween to remember.

...

The next morning, Benton went to see Tintin, who was sprawled all over the couch, moaning in pain. Half empty candy wrappers were littered on the floor

"Morning, Ginger Fangs," Benton said. Oh-h, my stomach hurts," Tintin mumbled. "You ate all your candy?" Benton asked, eyeing the empty wrappers and half-empty bags. Tintin belched and replied, "No, the kids dared me to eat as much candy as I could until my tummy ached." "Aww, now that was a Halloween to remember," Benton said happily.

* * *

*Nestor finally closes the book*

Now what do you make of that? Tintin and his friends were scared after entering a haunted house...when in reality, it was all just a mere stage play set up by two veteran actors of the theater.

But, remember this: Some looks can be deceiving. Whether it is a haunted house or not, one thing is for certain...

Halloween night is the most terrifying night of the season. But you didn't hear it from me. You have heard all of this from...

Marlinspike Hall's Tales from the Crypt...!

*Tintin opens the door and switches on the light*

Tintin: Nestor? What are you doing?

Nestor: Ah, Master Tintin. What a pleasant surprise.

Tintin: What was all that narrating and stuff? I could hear you from the common room.

Nestor: Oh, I was just reading a book. That was all. No need to worry.

Tintin: Okay. But I was just coming to tell you that supper is ready. Come on upstairs.

Nestor: Very well then. *proceeds toward the exit, but turns to the audience*

Hope you all have had a...frightful night of terror and delight.

Le Fin!


End file.
